Malacañang announced on Saturday, May 12, that labor relations between the Philippines and Kuwait have gone back to normal.
Officials of both countries inked the said labor deal last Friday, a sign of an end in the diplomatic row, according to the Palace.
The “Agreement on the Employment of Domestic Workers” was signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled al-Sabah at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kuwait.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the move to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), which seeks to protect the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the Gulf state, is a sign of an improving bilateral relationship between the two countries.
PH-KUWAIT SIGNING. Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano and Kuwaiti Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al Hamad Al Sabah sign the Agreement on the Employment of Domestic Workers on behalf of their respective countries in ceremonies at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kuwait. Witnessing the signing is Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III and other officials of the Philippine Government led by Special Envoy Abdullah Mama-o and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque and their Kuwaiti counterparts. DFA Video
Under the deal, OFWs will be allowed to keep their cellphones so they could call for help in cases of emergency. They will also be allowed to have a minimum of 8 hours of sleep and ample food.
Aside from these, OFWs will likewise be asked to have their passports deposited at the Philippine Embassy.
The Kuwaiti government has agreed to create a special unit within their police force which the Embassy can coordinate with in times of emergency calls from OFWs.
A special phone number for OFW assistance will also be set up.
Labor relations between the Philippines and Kuwait have turned sour after videos showing rescue operations of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) surfaced online.
